HemisFair vision begins to take shape

Groups brainstorm ideas on park's future use.

Published 11:35 pm, Wednesday, January 12, 2011

On Wednesday night, 97-year-old Bill Sinkin was one of hundreds of San Antonians who helped begin to craft a new vision for how to redevelop HemisFair Park, what Mayor Julián Castro has deemed the most significant project here for years to come.

Sinkin's connection to the park, however, is a unique one. He was called on in 1962 to spearhead an effort to organize the 1968 World's Fair, and later became the fair corporation's first president.

The crowd applauded Sinkin on Wednesday night, and he rose from his seat and pumped his fist in the air.

Before the brainstorming began, Castro spoke about what HemisFair has meant to this city, and what it could do for San Antonio's future. While he has only general ideas about how the park should change, the mayor clearly has a lofty goal in mind.

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“If you see a picture of Golden Gate Park, or Central Park or Millennium Park, you think San Francisco, New York and Chicago,” he said. “If we do it right, if we do honor and justice to this very special public space, when folks see HemisFair Park, they'll think San Antonio.”

Soon after, more than 300 people began coming up with ideas of how to redevelop the 93-acre park.

They were charged with answering two questions during the session: What makes San Antonio unique and special? And, what would you like see happen in HemisFair Park?

Small groups worked together to reach a consensus on a single answer for each question, then presented them to the assembly. Presenters from the groups were fond of the abstract. Ideas included creating a “place that is reflective of celebration,” one that reintegrates the physical, cultural, business, artistic and educational elements of San Antonio.

Others mentioned ensuring that HemisFair Park becomes a well-defined gathering place representative of the city's multicultural history.

Another idea would incorporate a series of lakes and other waterways meandering through the park.

While a firm vision is yet to come into focus, officials have talked about incorporating mixed-use development with the open green space there. And Castro said Wednesday night that the 2012 bond program likely will include funding for HemisFair redevelopment.

For Sinkin, the ideas he'll contribute will help round out his work with HemisFair.

In 1993, he told the Express-News that “our biggest failure was in not coming up with a strategy with what to do with the property after the closing” of the World's Fair.

Nearly five decades after it all began, Sinkin is helping craft that strategy.